Communication apparatus, control method, and storage medium

ABSTRACT

A communication apparatus including a near field wireless communication unit which holds communication information regarding a communication sets a communication mode to be used for a wireless communication unit supporting a longer field wireless communication than a wireless communication using a near field wireless communication unit in accordance with write information written from an external apparatus to the near field wireless communication unit.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation application of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 15/216,526 filed on Jul. 21, 2016 which is acontinuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 14/706,805 filed on May 7,2015 which has issued on Aug. 30, 2016 as U.S. Pat. No. 9,430,175, whichclaims the benefit of Japanese Patent Application No. 2014-099838, filedMay 13, 2014, all of which are incorporated by reference herein in theirentirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a communication apparatus, a controlmethod thereof, and a storage medium and particularly relates to acommunication technology allowing a near field wireless communication.

Description of the Related Art

In recent years, a system has been known which identifies acommunication partner apparatus by using a near field wirelesscommunication from an external apparatus such as a digital camera and acellular phone and sends an image file held in the external apparatussuch as a digital camera or a cellular phone by using another wirelesscommunication different from the near field wireless communication tothe identified communication partner apparatus. Examples of such acommunication partner apparatus may include an image forming apparatussuch as a printer.

In a case where a wireless communication such as a wireless LAN functionis used, a wireless LAN is not always activated in general. For example,normally, when a USB is used, a wireless LAN is temporarily activatedwhen it is used. Alternatively, a wireless LAN is temporarily activatedwhen it is used in a case where the wireless LAN is activated asrequired only for reducing power consumption. Assuming a case where awireless LAN function is inactivated when it is not required, a user maybe required to operate an apparatus in which a wireless LAN is installedto activate the wireless LAN function again. A method has been proposed(Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2006-319878) which changes theactivate/inactivate state of a wireless LAN function by rewriting astate flag of an RFID tag by using a near field wireless communicationso that power consumption for use of a wireless LAN may be reducedwithout reducing usability.

However, in an example as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No.2006-319878, rewriting a state flag within an RFID tag is required toswitch the activate/inactivate state of the wireless LAN function. In anNDEF format which is generally used for a near field communication(hereinafter, called an NFC), rewriting a specific region only is notallowed during a data writing operation, and all regions must berewritten. Therefore, rewriting a specific state flag only is notallowed. Even in a case where the NDEF format is not used, there is aconstraint that an apparatus which issues a write trigger is required toknow a data structure within an RFID in order to rewrite a state flagwithin the RFID. As described above, in a case where an NDEF format isused or a case where a data structure within an RFID is not known, allinformation within an RFID tag is unintentionally rewritten by using anear field wireless communication. In other words, in a case where aprocessing mode of an apparatus is changed by changing data stored in anRFID tag, even information which is needed to keep by a user within theRFID tag may possibly be rewritten.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a communication apparatus having a nearfield wireless communication unit which holds communication informationregarding a communication, the apparatus including a first wirelesscommunication apparatus,

a second wireless communication unit configured to allow a longer fieldwireless communication than the first wireless communication unit, areceiving unit configured to receive write information to be writtenfrom an external apparatus to the near field wireless communicationunit, a changing unit configured to change a communication mode of thecommunication apparatus in accordance with the received writeinformation, and an update unit configured to update the writeinformation written to the near field wireless communication unit to thecommunication information.

Further features of the present invention will become apparent from thefollowing description of exemplary embodiments with reference to theattached drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a configuration of a print systemaccording to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 illustrates an example of an outer appearance of a terminalapparatus.

FIGS. 3A and 3B illustrate an example of an outer appearance of aprinting apparatus.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a configuration ofthe terminal apparatus.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a configuration ofthe printing apparatus.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a configuration ofan NFC unit.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating details of processing according to afirst embodiment.

FIG. 8 illustrates examples of values stored in an NFC memory in theprinting apparatus.

FIG. 9 illustrates examples of values to be written to the NFC memory inthe printing apparatus.

FIG. 10 illustrates examples of NFC memory regions and communicationmodes of the printing apparatus.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart illustrating details of processing according to asecond embodiment.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart illustrating details of processing according to athird embodiment.

FIG. 13 illustrates examples of types of information to be written tothe NFC memory.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

Exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described indetail below with reference to drawings. However, relative positions,display screens and so on of components according to those embodimentsdo not intend to limit the scope of the present invention theretootherwise specified.

First Embodiment

FIG. 1 illustrates a configuration of a print processing system. Thesystem includes a network 100 and a mobile terminal apparatus 200 and aprinting apparatus 300 connectable to the network 100. The terminalapparatus 200 functioning as a communication apparatus has at least twotypes of wireless communication unit having communication speedsdifferent from each other. The terminal apparatus 200 may be any type ofapparatus as far as it is capable of handling a file to be printed, suchas a personal information terminal such as a Personal Digital Assistant(PDA), a cellular phone, and a digital camera.

The printing apparatus 300 also functioning as a communication apparatushas a read function which reads a document placed on a document platenand a print function which prints by using a printing engine such as anink jet printer and may further has a facsimile function and a telephonefunction.

The network 100 and the printing apparatus 300 are connected by a wiredLAN or a wireless LAN. The network 100 and the terminal apparatus 200are connected by a wireless LAN. The terminal apparatus 200 and theprinting apparatus 300 are communicable by using a near field wirelesscommunication. Because each of the terminal apparatus 200 and theprinting apparatus 300 has a wireless LAN function, mutualauthentication between them allows a peer-to-peer (hereinafter, P2P)communication.

FIG. 2 illustrates an outer appearance of the terminal apparatus 200.According to this embodiment, a smart phone is illustrated as an exampleof the terminal apparatus 200. The smart phone here is a multi-functioncellular phone having a cellular phone function as well as camera, netbrowser and e-mail functions. A Near Field Communication (hereinafter,called an NFC) unit 201 implements a near field wireless communication.Actually, a near-field communication is implemented by bringing the NFCunit 201 closer to a range within a predetermined distance(appropriately 10 cm) from a communication partner NFC unit (of theprinting apparatus 300 according to this embodiment). Such an NFC unitmay sometimes be called a near field wireless communication unit.

A wireless LAN unit 202 is usable for communication over a wireless LANand is provided within the terminal apparatus 200. A display unit 203may include an LCD display mechanism, for example. An operation unit 204includes a touch panel operation mechanism and detects information on apress performed by a user. According to a representative operationmethod, the display unit 203 displays a button icon and a softwarekeyboard, and a user may press the operation unit 204 to issue an eventthat a corresponding button has been pressed. A power supply key 205 isusable for powering on and off.

FIGS. 3A and 3B illustrate outer appearances of a printing apparatus.According to this embodiment, a Multi Function Printer (MFP) having aread function (scanner) will be described, for example. Referring toFIG. 3A, a document platen 301 is a transparent base of glass, and adocument may be placed thereon to read by using a scanner. A documentlid 302 is a lid for preventing reading-light from leaking to outsideduring a scanning operation using a scanner. Sheets having various sizesmay be set to a print sheet insertion port 303. Sheets set in the printsheet insertion port 303 are conveyed to a printing part one by one, areprinted, and are discharged to a print sheet ejection port 304.

Referring to FIG. 3B, an operation display unit 305 and an NFC unit 306are provided on the document lid 302. The NFC unit 306 is a unit usablefor a near field wireless communication, and the terminal apparatus 200is brought closer to the printing apparatus 300 here. An effectivecontact distance is a predetermined distance (about 10 cm) from the NFCunit 306. An antenna for communication over a wireless LAN is embeddedin a wireless LAN antenna 307.

A near field wireless communication refers to a wireless communication,such as an NFC, having a smaller communication range equal to apredetermined range (such as 1 m to several cm).

FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a terminalapparatus. The terminal apparatus 200 includes a main board 210configured to generally control the apparatus, the wireless LAN unit202, the NFC unit 201, a line connection unit 206, the operation unit204 and the display unit 203. Here, each of the wireless LAN unit 202,NFC unit 201, and line connection unit 206 functions as a communicationunit of the terminal apparatus 200.

A CPU 211 configured as a microprocessor and provided in the main board210 operates in accordance with a control program stored in a programmemory 213 configured as a ROM and data in a data memory 214 configuredas a RAM. The CPU 211, the program memory 213 and the data memory 214are connected through an internal bus 212.

The CPU 211 controls the wireless LAN unit 202 through a wireless LANcontrol circuit 215 to allow communication between another communicationterminal apparatus and the wireless LAN 102. The CPU 211 controls theNFC unit 201 through an NFC control circuit 216 to allow detection of aconnection between another NFC terminal and the NFC 101 andtransmission/reception of data to/from another NFC terminal. The CPU 211controls the line connection unit 206 through a line control circuit 217to allow connection to a cellular phone network 105 for calling and dataexchange.

The CPU 211 controls an operation unit control circuit 218 to allowdisplay on the operation unit 204 and reception of an operationperformed by a user. The CPU 211 controls a camera 219 to allowcapturing an image and stores a captured image in the image memory 220in the data memory 214. In addition to captured images as describedabove, an image externally acquired through the cellular phone network105, wireless LAN 102, or NFC 101 may be stored in the image memory 220and may be sent to outside on the other hand.

A non-volatile memory 221 may be a memory such as a flash memory andstores data to be saved also after powered off. For example, thenon-volatile memory 221 may store image data to be saved, such astelephone directory data, communication connection information,information on a device connected in the past or a program such asapplication software which implements a function of the terminalapparatus 200.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a printingapparatus. The printing apparatus 300 includes a main board 310configured to generally control the apparatus, a wireless LAN unit 308,the NFC unit 306, and the operation display unit 305. Here, a lineconnection unit 322, the wireless LAN unit 308 and the NFC unit 306function as a communication unit of the printing apparatus 300.

A CPU 311 configured as a microprocessor and provided in the main board310 operates in accordance with a control program stored in a programmemory 313 configured as a ROM and data in a data memory 314 configuredas a RAM. The CPU 311, the program memory 313 and the data memory 314are connected through an internal bus 312.

The CPU 311 controls a scanner 315 to read a document and store the readdata in the image memory 316 in the data memory 314. The CPU 311controls a printing unit 317 to allow printing of an image in the imagememory 316 in the data memory 314 onto a recording medium.

The CPU 311 controls the wireless LAN unit 308 through a wireless LANcontrol circuit 318 to allow communication between another communicationterminal apparatus and the wireless LAN 102. The CPU 311 controls theNFC unit 306 through an NFC control circuit 319 to allow detection of aconnection between another NFC terminal and the NFC 101 andtransmission/reception of data to/from another NFC terminal. The CPU 311controls the line connection unit 322 through a line control circuit 321to allow connection to a telephone network 323 for facsimilecommunication and data exchange.

The CPU 311 controls an operation display control circuit 320 to allowdisplay of a state of the printing apparatus 300 and display of afunction selection menu on the operation display unit 305 and receptionof an operation performed by a user.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating details of an NFC unit 600 usedin the NFC unit 201 or NFC unit 306.

In an NFC, an apparatus which first outputs an RF (Radio Frequency)field to start a communication is called an initiator in a case where anear field wireless communication is implemented by the NFC unit 600. Anapparatus which responds to a command issued by an initiator andperforms a communication with the initiator will be called a target.

A passive mode and an active mode will be described. An NFC unit asdescribed above has communication modes including a passive mode and anactive mode. In the passive mode, a target responds to a command from aninitiator by performing a load modulation. The target does not requirepower supply. On the other hand, in the active mode, the target respondsto a command from an initiator by using an RF field emitted by thetarget itself. Therefore, the target requires power supply. The activemode has a characteristic of a higher communication speed than thepassive mode.

The NFC unit 600 has an NFC controller unit 601, an antenna unit 602, anRF unit 603, a transmit/receive control unit 604, an NFC memory 605, apower supply 606, and a device connection part 607. The antenna unit 602may receive radio waves from another NFC device and transmit radio wavesto another NFC device. The RF unit 603 has a function for modulating anddemodulating an analog signal to a digital signal. The RF unit 603 has asynthesizer and identifies frequencies of a band and a channel andcontrols the band and channel based on frequency allocation data.

The NFC memory 605 may be a non-volatile memory, for example, and acceptread and write operations on data stored in the NFC memory 605 even whenpower is not supplied from the power supply. More specifically, datastored in the NFC memory 605 in the terminal apparatus 200 with nobattery remaining amount (or the printing apparatus 300 to which poweris not supplied) are read or written by communication in the passivemode of an NFC, for example. The data storage control including datareading and writing from and to the NFC memory 605 is implemented by theNFC controller unit 601.

The transmit/receive control unit 604 performs controls regardingtransmission and reception such as assembly/disassembly oftransmission/reception frame, preamble addition and detection, a frameidentification. The transmit/receive control unit 604 further controlsthe NFC memory 605 to read and write data and a program therefrom andthereto. In the active mode, the NFC unit 600 receives power through thepower supply 606 and may communicate with another NFC device through thedevice connection part 607 and communicates with another NFC device in acommunicable range by using radio waves transmitted and received throughthe antenna unit 602. In the passive mode, the NFC unit 600 receivesradio waves from another NFC device through an antenna and receivespower from the other NFC device by electromagnetic induction andcommunicates with the other NFC device by carrier modulation for dataexchange.

An operation for bringing the NFC unit 201 of the terminal apparatus 200and the NFC unit 306 of the printing apparatus 300 closer will be calledan “NFC touch operation”.

According to this embodiment, after a user operates the terminalapparatus 200 to select an image to be printed, the user may perform anNFC touch operation on the printing apparatus 300 responsible forprinting, and the selected image may be printed by the printingapparatus 300.

This embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart inFIG. 7. The processing flow to be performed by a terminal apparatusaccording to an embodiment of the present invention is implemented byreading and executing a program relating to the processing flow by theCPU 211 in the terminal apparatus. On the other hand, the processingflow to be performed by a printing apparatus according to an embodimentof the present invention is implemented by reading and executing aprogram relating to the processing flow by the CPU 311 in the printingapparatus. FIG. 7 illustrates processing for printing in the printingapparatus 300 an image designated in the terminal apparatus 200. FIG. 8illustrates values in the NFC memory in the printing apparatus 300before a writing operation is performed from the terminal apparatus 200to the NFC memory in the printing apparatus 300. The printing apparatus300 may write values illustrated in FIG. 8 when the printing apparatus300 is being powered on. FIG. 9 illustrates values to be written fromthe terminal apparatus 200 to the NFC memory in the printing apparatus300. The values in FIG. 8 and FIG. 9 are given for illustration of anembodiment of the present invention, and different values from those ofFIG. 8 and FIG. 9 may be written.

In step S1101 (where a step will sometimes be simply referred by “S”),the terminal apparatus 200 selects image data in accordance with anoperation from the operation unit 204, sets the number of prints andgenerates a print job. Here, a plurality of image data sets may beselected. Before execution of the processing in S1101, a user activatesa print application installed in the terminal apparatus 200, selectsimage data through a screen of the print application and sets printsetting information such as the number of prints, a paper size, and aprint direction. In S1101, a print job is generated in accordance withsuch a user operation. Next, in step S1102, the terminal apparatus 200requests to read the NFC memory (corresponding to the NFC memory 605 inFIG. 6) within the NFC unit 306 in the printing apparatus 300 inaccordance with an NFC touch operation. Communication parameters (suchas an SSID and a password) of a printing apparatus necessary forestablishing a wireless LAN connection in S1110, which will be describedbelow, are notified from the printing apparatus 300 to the terminalapparatus 200 in accordance with an NFC touch operation in S1102.Apparatus information such as a model name and a type of a printingapparatus may be notified. Here, if the apparatus information of aprinting apparatus which supports the print application in the terminalapparatus 200 is not matched with apparatus information acquired by anNFC touch operation (for example, if the model names are not matched),the print application displays an error screen. Then a message that theprint processing is not allowed to continue is displayed on the errorscreen. On the error screen, a message indicating a printing apparatuswhich supports the print application or a message which suggests use ofanother print application may be displayed.

After the terminal apparatus 200 reads data in the NFC memory requeststo write to the NFC memory to the printing apparatus 300 in step S1103.Next, the terminal apparatus 200 starts writing data to be written tothe NFC memory (in FIG. 9 here).

In step S1104, if the printing apparatus 300 detects a write operationto the NFC memory, the printing apparatus 300 waits for a predeterminedtime period. In other words, the printing apparatus 300 receives thedata in FIG. 9 in S1104. The wait operation according to this exemplaryembodiment is performed until completion of a write operation to the NFCmemory in response to the write request from the terminal apparatus 200but is not limited to such a purpose. After a lapse of a predeterminedtime period, the printing apparatus 300 inhibits (inactivates) an NFCwith a terminal apparatus. In this case, inhibiting an NFC may allowrewriting data in FIG. 9 written to the NFC memory by different data forprevention of execution of a process intended by a user. For example, ina case where a user brings the terminal apparatus 200 closer to the NFCunit of the printing apparatus 300 for the purpose of shift to the APmode, which will be described below, the data in FIG. 9 are written tothe NFC memory. Here, if data in the NFC memory are written by anotherterminal apparatus before the printing apparatus stores the data in FIG.9 to the program memory 313, for example, there is a possibility thatthe printing apparatus operates in a mode not intended by a user of theterminal apparatus 200. In order to reduce the possibility, an NFC isinhibited temporarily.

In step S1105, the printing apparatus 300 reads data in the NFC memory.The data read in step S1105 are saved in the program memory 313 or datamemory 314 within the printing apparatus 300. In other words, accordingto this exemplary embodiment, the data illustrated in FIG. 9 are savedin the program memory 313 or data memory. In step S1106, the printingapparatus 300 writes (updates) data in the NFC memory back to a statebefore written from the terminal apparatus 200 and activates an NFC withthe terminal apparatus. In other words, the data in the NFC memory iswritten back to the state of the data illustrated in FIG. 9 to the stateof the data illustrated in FIG. 8, and an NFC is activated. The writeback processing to the NFC memory and the NFC activation may not beexecuted at the time point of step S1106. The information to be writtenback (FIG. 8) is saved in the program memory 313 or data memory 314 in aperiod from reception of a write request to start of the writing of thedata in FIG. 9. Alternatively, the printing apparatus 300 may prestoreinformation to be written back to the NFC memory (or informationnecessary for reconfiguration of the data illustrated in FIG. 8), andinformation to be written back to the NFC memory may be collected inS1106, and the collected information may be written back to the NFCmemory. In this case, the information (in FIG. 8) to be written back maynot be saved.

In step S1107, the printing apparatus 300 checks the data (FIG. 9) savedin the program memory 313 or data memory 314 and written to the NFCmemory. If the written values include a specific value as illustrated inFIG. 9, the processing at and after step S1108 may be executed. If not,the processing ends. The expression “specific value” refers to acommunication mode switch instruction (AP mode shift instruction in FIG.9). The AP mode here is a mode in which access points included in aprinting apparatus are activated while the terminal apparatus 200 usesthe access points of the printing apparatus to exchange by P2P data heldin the terminal apparatus 20.

In step S1108, the printing apparatus 300 changes the communication modeof a wireless LAN in accordance with the information written to the NFCmemory. At a time of step S1108, if the printing apparatus 300 operatesin the communication mode designated in the information written to theNFC memory by the terminal apparatus 200, the communication modechanging processing is not necessary. In other words, referring to theexample in FIG. 9, if the printing apparatus is already operating in theAP mode, the change of the communication mode is not necessary. Thecommunication mode to be changed may be determined based on a value asillustrated in FIG. 9 or may be changed to a predetermined communicationmode in the printing apparatus 300. According to this exemplaryembodiment, because an AP mode change is instructed in FIG. 9, theprinting apparatus 300 in S1108 changes to the AP mode (or sets the APmode) as a wireless LAN communication mode. As illustrated in FIG. 10,the communication mode to be changed may be determined based on a regionof the NFC memory of the printing apparatus 300 to which the terminalapparatus 200 writes data. In other words, the information illustratedin FIG. 10 is held in advance in the terminal apparatus 200 and theprinting apparatus 300. In a case where, for example, a user of theterminal apparatus 200 inputs an instruction to change to the AP mode,the terminal apparatus 200 writes information to 0x0000 of the NFCmemory in accordance with the information in FIG. 10. If information iswritten to 0x0000 of the NFC memory, the printing apparatus 300recognizes the instruction to change to the AP mode based on theinformation in FIG. 10 and changes the communication mode.

In step S1109, the terminal apparatus 200 changes the communication modeof the terminal apparatus 200 in accordance with the communication modeof the printing apparatus 300. According to this exemplary embodiment,because the printing apparatus 300 changes to the AP mode as a wirelessLAN communication mode, the communication mode of the terminal apparatus200 is also changed to the AP mode. If the terminal apparatus 200 andthe printing apparatus 300 already have a communicable state, the changeof the communication mode of the terminal apparatus 200 is notnecessary. In step S1110, the terminal apparatus 200 uses thecommunication parameters acquired in S1102 to establish a wireless LANconnection with the printing apparatus 300. In step S1111, the terminalapparatus 200 transmits the print job generated in step S1101 to theprinting apparatus 300. A print job may be generated at a time pointdifferent from S1101 (such as a time point when a connection isestablished in S1110).

In step S1112, the printing apparatus 300 receives the print jobtransmitted from the terminal apparatus 200 executes print processing.After the print processing ends in step S1112, the printing apparatus300 in step S1113 returns the communication mode (AP mode in thisexample) changed in step S1108 to the communication mode before thechange. In a case where the process for writing the data in FIG. 8 tothe NFC memory and the activation of an NFC are not executed in stepS1106, the processing in S1106 may be executed at this time point (whenthe processing of a print job completes).

As described above, according to the first embodiment, the terminalapparatus 200 reads data in the NFC memory in the printing apparatus 300and writes an instruction to change the communication mode to the NFCmemory. When the writing to the NFC memory is completed by the terminalapparatus 200 and the written data is saved in the program memory 313 ordata memory, the printing apparatus 300 returns the state of the NFCmemory to the state before the writing. If the written values instructto change the communication mode, the printing apparatus 300 changes thecommunication mode of the printing apparatus 300. In response to thechange of the communication mode of the printing apparatus 300, theterminal apparatus 200 establishes a wireless LAN connection with theprinting apparatus 300 and transmits a print job to the printingapparatus 300. The printing apparatus 300 executes the received printjob, and returns the communication mode to the communication mode beforethe change upon completion of the execution of the print job. Thus, evena user who does not know the structure of data stored in the NFC memorymay change the communication mode of the printing apparatus 300 andestablish a communication with a terminal apparatus easily. Thecommunication mode is returned after printing processing is performed bythe printing apparatus 300 so that printing may be executed withoutrequiring a user to recognize the change of the communication mode.Furthermore, because information before writing is performed by theterminal apparatus 200 is written back to the NFC memory, informationnecessary for a user to keep may be held in the NFC memory. For example,communication information such as an SSID and a password of the printingapparatus 300 and device information such as the model name andfunctions of the printing apparatus 300, which are stored in the NFCmemory before written to a terminal apparatus, may be written back to anNFC memory of the printing apparatus 300.

Having described the processing for changing the communication mode tobe performed by a printing apparatus in response to writing to an NFCmemory according to this embodiment, a processing mode (processingsetting) of another printing apparatus may be changed. For example, aprinting mode of a printing apparatus may be changed from a normal modeto a power saving mode in response to a writing operation to an NFCmemory.

Second Embodiment

According to a second embodiment, a user operates the terminal apparatus200 to perform an NFC touch operation on the printing apparatus 300 sothat the printing apparatus 300 may scan image data.

Components of apparatuses according to this embodiment are equivalent tothose of the first embodiment otherwise specified, and the descriptionwill be omitted. The first embodiment and the second embodiment may beexecuted separately or may be executed in combination. Before theprocessing in S1201 is executed, a user may start a print applicationinstalled in the terminal apparatus 200 and sets a scan mode by using ascreen of the print application. This allows the print application torecognize that a user is requesting a scan process.

This embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart inFIG. 11. Because the processing from step S1201 to step S1202 is thesame as the processing from step S1102 to step S1103 in FIG. 7, thedescription will be omitted. Because the processing from step S1203 tostep S1209 is the same as the processing from step S1104 to step S1110in FIG. 7, the description will be omitted. Because the processing instep S1214 is the same as the processing in step S1113 in FIG. 7, thedescription will be omitted. Communication parameters (such as an SSIDand a password) of the printing apparatus necessary for establishment ofa wireless LAN connection in S1209, which will be described below arenotified from the printing apparatus 300 to the terminal apparatus 200in response to the NFC touch operation in S1202. Here, deviceinformation describing a function of the printing apparatus may benotified instead. If the device information describes that the printingapparatus having received the touch operation is not capable ofexecuting a scan function, the print application displays an errorscreen to display a message that the scan process is unable to continue.The error screen may display a message indicating a printing apparatuscapable of executing the scan, a message suggesting to use another printapplication, or the like. In step S1210, the terminal apparatus 200instructs to execute the scan process to the printing apparatus 300.

The printing apparatus 300 in step S1211 in response to the instructionto execute the scan process from the terminal apparatus 200 scans adocument placed on a document platen to acquire image data. When thescan process completes, the printing apparatus 300 transmits the imagedata acquired by the scan process to the terminal apparatus 200 throughthe wireless LAN connection established in S1209 (S1212).

The terminal apparatus 200 in step S1213 receives the image datatransmitted from the printing apparatus 300.

As described above, according to the second embodiment, the terminalapparatus 200 reads data in the NFC memory in the printing apparatus 300and writes it to the NFC memory to instruct to change its communicationmode. The printing apparatus 300 in response to the writing to the NFCmemory writes the data in the NFC memory to the data before the writing.If the written value instructs to change the communication mode, thecommunication mode of the printing apparatus 300 is changed. Theterminal apparatus 200 in response to the change of the communicationmode of the printing apparatus 300 establishes a wireless LAN connectionwith the printing apparatus 300 and instructs to execute to scan theimage data. The printing apparatus 300 execute scanning and transmitsthe image data acquired by the scanning to the terminal apparatus. Theprinting apparatus 300 returns the communication mode to thecommunication mode before the change upon completion of a series ofoperations of the scanning. Thus, even a user who does not know thestructure of data stored in the NFC memory may change the communicationmode of the printing apparatus 300 and establish a communication with aterminal apparatus easily. The communication mode is returned afterprinting processing is performed by the printing apparatus 300 so thatscanning may be executed without requiring a user to recognize thechange of the communication mode.

Third Embodiment

According to a third embodiment, a user operates the terminal apparatus200 to perform an NFC touch operation on the printing apparatus 300 sothat information which is not saved in an NFC memory of the printingapparatus 300 when the touch operation is performed may be read by theterminal apparatus 200. More specifically, because the NFC memory has asmall storage capacity, there is a possibility that all of informationnecessary for the terminal apparatus 200 may not be held in the NFCmemory. Therefore, information required by an application running in theterminal apparatus 200 in which the touch operation is performed may notpossibly be stored in the NFC memory of the printing apparatus 300 eventhough the information is held in a program memory or a data memory.Accordingly, the printing apparatus 300 writes the information requiredby the terminal apparatus 200 in association with the touch operationinto the NFC memory so that information which is not saved in the NFCmemory when the touch operation is performed may be allowed to be readby the terminal apparatus.

Components of apparatuses according to this embodiment are equivalent tothose of the first or second embodiment otherwise specified, and thedescription will be omitted. The first to third embodiments may beexecuted separately or may be executed in combination.

The third embodiment will be described with reference to a flowchart inFIG. 12. Because the processing from step S1301 to step S1303 is thesame as the processing from step S1103 to step S1105 in FIG. 7, thedescription will be omitted.

In step S1304, the terminal apparatus 200 determines whether informationwritten to the NFC memory includes a specific value or not. Examples ofsuch a specific value may include information of an activatedapplication. Examples of such a specific value may further include adata type to be read by the terminal apparatus 200 through an NFC touchoperation.

If the terminal apparatus 200 determines that the specific value isincluded in S1304, the printing apparatus 300 in step S1305 writes, tothe NFC memory, information different from information before theterminal apparatus 200 writes. For example, it is assumed that the NFCmemory holds data in FIG. 8 before the terminal apparatus 200 istouched. Here, the printing apparatus 300 retrieves information in FIG.13 as information to be written to the NFC memory based on a specificvalue written to the NFC memory in accordance with a NFC touch operationin the terminal apparatus 200 from a program memory and a data memoryand writes them to the NFC memory.

In step S1306, the terminal apparatus 200 notifies a read request toread information (FIG. 13) because the information requested by theterminal apparatus 200 is written to the NFC memory of the printingapparatus. Then, the terminal apparatus 200 reads the information inFIG. 13 from the NFC memory of the printing apparatus.

In step S1307, after a lapse of a predetermined time period, theprinting apparatus 300 performs a write-back operation such that thedata in the NFC memory is be the same as the state before the terminalapparatus 200 performs the writing operation. In other words, theprinting apparatus 300 writes the data in the NFC memory back from thestate of information in FIG. 13 to the state of information in FIG. 8.

As described above, according to the third embodiment, the terminalapparatus 200 executes a writing operation on the NFC memory of theprinting apparatus 300. The printing apparatus 300 rewrites a data inthe NFC memory to information required by the terminal apparatus inresponse to the writing operation on the NFC memory. The terminalapparatus 200 reads the data in the NFC memory of the printing apparatus300. After a lapse of a predetermined time period, the printingapparatus 300 performs a write-back operation such that data in the NFCmemory may be the same as the data before the terminal apparatus 200performs the writing operation. Thus, the terminal apparatus 200 isallowed to read even information which is not saved in the NFC memorydue to a limited capacity or other problems.

According to the present invention, an RFID may be used to change aprocessing mode of a communication apparatus, and a process intended bya user may be executed in the communication apparatus.

Other Embodiments

Embodiment(s) of the present invention can also be realized by acomputer of a system or apparatus that reads out and executes computerexecutable instructions (e.g., one or more programs) recorded on astorage medium (which may also be referred to more fully as a‘non-transitory computer-readable storage medium’) to perform thefunctions of one or more of the above-described embodiment(s) and/orthat includes one or more circuits (e.g., application specificintegrated circuit (ASIC)) for performing the functions of one or moreof the above-described embodiment(s), and by a method performed by thecomputer of the system or apparatus by, for example, reading out andexecuting the computer executable instructions from the storage mediumto perform the functions of one or more of the above-describedembodiment(s) and/or controlling the one or more circuits to perform thefunctions of one or more of the above-described embodiment(s). Thecomputer may comprise one or more processors (e.g., central processingunit (CPU), micro processing unit (MPU)) and may include a network ofseparate computers or separate processors to read out and execute thecomputer executable instructions. The computer executable instructionsmay be provided to the computer, for example, from a network or thestorage medium. The storage medium may include, for example, one or moreof a hard disk, a random-access memory (RAM), a read only memory (ROM),a storage of distributed computing systems, an optical disk (such as acompact disc (CD), digital versatile disc (DVD), or Blu-ray Disc (BD)™),a flash memory device, a memory card, and the like.

While the present invention has been described with reference toexemplary embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is notlimited to the disclosed exemplary embodiments. The scope of thefollowing claims is to be accorded the broadest interpretation so as toencompass all such modifications and equivalent structures andfunctions.

I claim:
 1. A communication apparatus comprising: at least one processorthat operates to control: a first wireless communication unit having amemory, the first wireless communication unit configured to communicatewith an external apparatus by near field wireless communication; store,in the memory, first information including communication information forestablishing longer field wireless communication having a communicationrange longer than a range of the near field wireless communication andwhich is read by the external apparatus, wherein the first informationis deleted from the memory if second information including settinginformation for activating an access point included in the communicationapparatus is written to the memory; receive a request for writing thesecond information from the external apparatus; and store, in thememory, the second information, wherein the second information is storedin the memory after the request is received from the external apparatus;a setting unit configured to activate the access point included in thecommunication apparatus, if the first information stored in the memoryis deleted from the memory and the second information is written to thememory based on the request received from the external apparatus; asecond wireless communication unit configured to communicate with theexternal apparatus which has read the first information by the longerfield wireless communication if the access point is activated; and anupdate unit configured to update, after the first information is deletedfrom the memory by writing the second information to the memory, thememory from a state where the second information is stored in the memoryto a state where the first information is stored in the memory.
 2. Thecommunication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, before thecommunication using the second wireless communication unit is performed,the memory is updated from the state where the second information isstored in the memory to the state where the first information is storedin the memory.
 3. The communication apparatus according to claim 1,wherein, in the case where the first information stored in the memory isdeleted from the memory by writing the second information to the memory,the wireless communication using the first wireless communication unitis inactivated until the second information is recognized by thecommunication apparatus.
 4. The communication apparatus according toclaim 1, wherein, in a case where the request is received from theexternal apparatus, the at least one processor saves the firstinformation in a different memory that is different from the memory ofthe first wireless communication unit, and wherein the memory of thefirst wireless communication unit is updated from the state where thesecond information is stored in the memory to the state where the firstinformation having been saved in the different memory is stored in thememory.
 5. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein thememory is updated from the state where the second information is storedin the memory to the state where the first information acquired from adifferent memory that is different from the memory of the first wirelesscommunication unit is stored in the memory.
 6. The communicationapparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first information includesany one of an SSID, a password of the communication apparatus, a modelname of the communication apparatus, functions of the communicationapparatus, and MAC address of the communication apparatus.
 7. Thecommunication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the communicationapparatus further comprises at least a first surface which includes thefirst wireless communication unit, and a second surface which includes adocument platen, and wherein an angle between the first surface and thesecond surface is changeable.
 8. The communication apparatus accordingto claim 1, wherein the first wireless communication unit is provided ona surface of the communication apparatus that is different from asurface of the communication apparatus that is substantiallyperpendicular to an undersurface of the communication apparatus.
 9. Thecommunication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least oneprocessor further controls a printing unit configured to performprinting based on information received from the external apparatus bythe longer field wireless communication.
 10. The communication apparatusaccording to claim 1, wherein the second information is stored in thememory after the first information is read by the external apparatus.11. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the accesspoint is activated without receiving a user operation by thecommunication apparatus or the external apparatus, after a useroperation which is received by the external apparatus beforecommunication with the communication apparatus by the near fieldwireless communication.
 12. The communication apparatus according toclaim 1, wherein the second information is written to the memory inNDEF.
 13. A control method executed by a communication apparatuscomprising a first wireless communication unit having a memory andconfigured to communicate with an external apparatus by near firedwireless communication, which stores, in the memory, first informationincluding communication information for establishing longer fieldwireless communication having a communication range longer than a rangeof the near field wireless communication and which is read by theexternal apparatus, wherein the first information is deleted from thememory if second information including setting information foractivating an access point included in the communication apparatus iswritten to the memory, which receives a request for writing the secondinformation from the external apparatus and which stores, in the memory,the second information, wherein the second information is stored in thememory after the request is received from the external apparatus, and asecond wireless communication unit configured to communicate with theexternal apparatus which has read the first information by the longerfield wireless communication if the access point is activated, thecontrol method comprising: activating the access point included in thecommunication apparatus if the first information stored in the memory isdeleted from the memory and the second information is written to thememory based on the request received from the external apparatus; andupdating, after the first information is deleted from the memory bywriting the second information to the memory, the memory from a statewhere the second information is stored in the memory to a state wherethe first information is stored in the memory.
 14. The control methodaccording to claim 13, wherein, before the communication using thesecond wireless communication unit is performed, the memory is updatedfrom the state where the second information is stored in the memory tothe state where the first information is stored in the memory.
 15. Thecontrol method according to claim 13, wherein, in the case where thefirst information stored in the memory is deleted from the memory bywriting the second information to the memory, the wireless communicationusing the first wireless communication unit is inactivated until thesecond information is recognized by the communication apparatus.
 16. Thecontrol method according to claim 13, further comprising: in a casewhere the request is received from the external apparatus, saving thefirst information in a different memory that is different from thememory of the first wireless communication unit, wherein the memory ofthe first wireless communication unit is updated from the state wherethe second information is stored in the memory to the state where thefirst information having been saved in the different memory is stored inthe memory.
 17. The control method according to claim 13, wherein thememory is updated from the state where the second information is storedin the memory to the state where the first information acquired from adifferent memory that is different from the memory of the first wirelesscommunication unit is stored in the memory.
 18. The control methodaccording to claim 13, wherein the first information includes any one ofan SSID, a password of the communication apparatus, a model name of thecommunication apparatus, functions of the communication apparatus, andMAC address of the communication apparatus.
 19. The control methodaccording to claim 13, wherein the communication apparatus furthercomprises at least a first surface which includes the first wirelesscommunication unit, and a second surface which includes a documentplaten, and wherein an angle between the first surface and the secondsurface is changeable.
 20. The control method according to claim 13,wherein the first wireless communication unit is provided on a surfaceof the communication apparatus that is different from a surface of thecommunication apparatus that is substantially perpendicular to anundersurface of the communication apparatus.
 21. The control methodaccording to claim 13, further comprising performing printing based oninformation received from the external apparatus by the longer fieldwireless communication.
 22. The control method according to claim 13,wherein the second information is stored in the memory after the firstinformation is read by the external apparatus.
 23. The control methodaccording to claim 13, wherein the access point is activated withoutreceiving a user operation by the communication apparatus or theexternal apparatus, after a user operation which is received by theexternal apparatus before communication with the communication apparatusby the near field wireless communication.
 24. The control methodaccording to claim 13, wherein the second information is written to thememory in NDEF.